Former Liverpool team-mates Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane were at the centre of a touchline fracas that resulted in a suspension during their AFCON showdown. As Mane attempted to evade tackles, he was taken down by Salah, with the Reds winger visibly irate at the decision. This reaction was mirrored on the sidelines as both the Senegal and Egypt coaches had to be separated following some pushing and shoving.

In the ensuing melee, Habib Diarra was shown a yellow card and will miss either the third-place play-off or final, depending on whether Senegal progress, due to suspension. Kalidou Koulibaly found himself in a similar predicament after receiving a booking, but the Senegal captain was forced to leave the pitch shortly after his caution due to an injury.

The first 45 minutes of the semi-final between Egypt and Senegal were fraught with tension, with Salah kept under wraps, though Mane posed a significant threat.

He had 40 touches in the first half, created two opportunities and made three passes into the final third. In contrast, Salah managed just 15 touches, with...